Notes and Comments

Vile men in high places

SODOMY is a sin which is especially heinous in God’s sight. This fact is to be kept in mind when we read about certain MPs and government ministers who are now known to be guilty of this sin. But we are informed by some politicians and journalists that it is not for the public to know such matters about our leaders.

However, politicians have special responsibilities which call for the exercise of judgement. Must we not at least call their judgement into question when they resort to such depraved practices? We fully agree with the commentator who said that such politicians “could have crucial influence over our social agenda”. It is only right that their abominable conduct should be known.

Defenders of such unnatural conduct try to make it appear acceptable by claiming that ten per cent of the population is homosexual, but an official survey published a year ago showed that this could be a gross overestimate: the real figure is nearer to one per cent. There is therefore something exceedingly wrong with the morality of a government in which almost 20 per cent of its Cabinet are homosexuals.

It is the height of presumption for the Cabinet to be pontificating in a recent Green Paper about strengthening the family when so many Cabinet members have a lifestyle that is destructive of the family as the basic unit of society.

We fear that the situation will get worse before it gets better, for we are seeing the fulfilment of Scripture: “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse” – and others will follow them. “The wicked walk on every side when the vilest men are exalted,” Psalm 12:8.

The threat of euthanasia

FOR some time, doctors in Holland have usually been exempted from prosecution if they are involved in “assisted suicide” – bringing to an end, with his or her consent, the life of someone who is terminally ill. It is now reported that the Dutch government is going ahead with plans to make this perfectly legal. This is a deplorable step and makes it all the more necessary for those of us who live in other countries to be vigilant against similar developments. There is a disturbing trend everywhere towards making acceptable what, if in some cases is not actually murder, certainly involves the doctor in being an accessory to self-murder.

It must be a serious blow to the confidence of patients, especially those who are seriously ill, to suspect that the doctor who is treating them may have colluded in ending the life of a previous patient. In fact, government surveys in Holland have revealed that doctors there are increasingly practising non-voluntary euthanasia. Of the doctors surveyed, 23% admitted that they had ended a patient’s life without the patient explicitly asking them to do so. This is tremendously serious and, before the situation gets further out of hand, the medical and criminal authorities have a duty to bring these doctors to book.

There is no doubt that doctors face difficult decisions in the treatment of patients, but it will not make their task any easier to remove the fundamental principle that their main aim is to preserve life – not to take away life, or to make it easier for patients to take away their own lives. Will this generation, even in countries with a Christian heritage, ever waken up to the fact the Bible provides the necessary framework for coming to a decision on all moral issues? But when society, and the medical profession in particular, drift further and further away from an acceptance of the authority of Scripture, it is no wonder that moral decisions become more and more unsatisfactory.

No wonder too that 10,000 people in Holland are carrying what have been described as anti-euthanasia passports. These “passports” contain a “declaration of life” which includes the statement: “I request that a life-ending treatment be administered under no circumstances, because I am of the opinion that people do not have the right to end life.” – K. D. M.

Offensive newspaper advertisements

IT is deplorable that offensive advertisements are appearing more frequently in newspapers and newspaper magazines which are intended for family reading. We refer to certain adverts which have shown lewd images.

One may feel that there is little one can do to prevent powerful newspapers publishing such filth. It is our duty however, to complain to the editor of the offending newspaper, or, better still, to lodge a complaint with the Advertising Standards Authority, 2 Torrington Place, London, WC1E 7HW

Disquiet in the Free Church about purity of worship

IT would appear that the views of a number of Free Church ministers about purity of worship are not in accord with the Regulative Principle that we are to use in the worship of God only that which He commands in His Word.

Following the resignation of Free Church minister, the Rev. Grant Bell, on the grounds that his views on public worship are no longer compatible with his ordination vows and Free Church practice (exclusive Psalmody and no instrumental music, for example), it has been claimed that 50 per cent of the ministers are unhappy with the status quo. He said, “I know many ministers who would like to use hymns and music.”

The Moderator of the Church, the Rev. D. K. MacLeod, has said, “I don’t think that there’s a groundswell of opinion in favour of change.” But if the above claim is correct there is a significant number of ministers who have a liberal approach to public worship. They feel that the Church’s official form of worship is “causing damage to outreach efforts”.

Ecclesiastical history shows that when churches have resorted to outreach methods which are not in accordance with the Scripture principle enunciated by the Saviour: “. . .teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you”, such methods have proved damaging to those who are being evangelised. Moreover, if a Church departs from Scripture principles, it makes itself wiser than God – and this is a most serious and solemn matter.